'Ice-smuggling' Aussie met co-accused two weeks before China bust

The young Sydney woman arrested in China on drugs trafficking charges met her co-accused on the dating app Tinder just two weeks before allegedly trying to smuggle a big haul of methamphetamine into Australia.

Kalynda Davis, 22, did not tell anyone where she was travelling when she flew to China on November 5 with co-accused Peter Gardiner, 25, a New Zealand citizen living in Sydney, News Corp reports.

But she told friends: "If you don't hear from me, something's gone wrong."

The couple was scheduled to return three days later but was intercepted at an airport in Guangzhou by Chinese customs officers.

At least 36kg of ice was found in the couple's checked-in luggage during routine screening.

Australian police believe Mr Gardiner may have been recruited by an organised crime syndicate in Sydney to smuggle the drugs, which had a street value of around $70 million.

Neither Mr Gardiner or Ms Davis had a criminal record in Australia.

Both now face a possible sentence of life in prison or even execution by firing squad.